


Let The Words Fall Out

by iaminarage



Series: Takes the Greatest While [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Early Relationship, F/M, Jyder friendship, choir room, new directions - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 11:44:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iaminarage/pseuds/iaminarage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryder wears a turtleneck to school. Jake notices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let The Words Fall Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Januarium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Januarium/gifts).



> This is a birthday fic for the lovely, talented, wondrous Januarium. I started out thinking cute and fluffy, but I think that’s not quite what I got.
> 
> The title comes from the song Brave by Sara Bareilles.
> 
> Thanks as always to loveinisolation for the beta!

“Why are you wearing a turtleneck?” Jake said as he plopped into the seat behind and above Ryder in the choir room. Jake leaned into Ryder’s space, resting his elbows on his knees and giving Ryder a suspicious look.

Ryder tried to play it cool. He schooled his face into a neutral expression before saying “I was cold this morning.”

Jake snorted. “Please. It’s June. It’s 80 degrees out. Do you even own a turtleneck?”

“It’s my dad’s,” Ryder said, starting to blush. He knew he was caught.

Just then, Artie wheeled into the room and over to Ryder. “What are we talking about?”

“Whatever Ryder’s got hidden under his dad’s turtleneck,” Jake answered with a smirk.

Artie appeared to think for a second and then reached out to pull down the top of Ryder’s collar. Ryder tried to move away, but Jake reached out to hold him in place until Artie had exposed the string of hickeys running down the left side of his neck.

Once they both got a good look, they let him go. “Well _damn_ , boy,” Artie said. “Where we you last night?”

Jake gave Ryder a thoughtful look. “Yeah, you didn’t tell me you were going out.”

Ryder crossed his arms. He wished that someone would show up and rescue him. “I didn’t go out!”

Artie grinned and slapped Jake’s knee lightly. When the two of them made eye contact, Artie said, “Apparently he _stayed in_.”

“Apparently,” Jake agreed. “The question is stayed in with who?”

Before Jake could probe any further, Ryder’s prayers were answered by Marley coming into the room. She caught Ryder’s eye and smiled as she took a seat on Ryder’s other side. “Thank you _so_ much for walking Unique home last night, Ryder. I can’t believe I completely forgot about that doctor’s appointment!”

Ryder sank down in his chair slowly as both Jake and Artie slowly turned in unison to look back at him. “Seems like it was a real sacrifice for him,” Artie said, breaking into a grin.

“The phrase ‘none of your business’ really means nothing around here, doesn’t it?” Ryder replied, staring at the floor. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of Unique or even that he’d been planning to keep their relationship a secret for the last few weeks. But he had sort of liked that it had just been about the two of them so far, and not about everyone else. He also hadn’t exactly meant to get caught with hickeys all over his neck.

It was at this moment that Blaine, Tina, and Unique showed up. They were deep in conversation about Beyoncé when they walked in, but their conversation trailed off when they noticed the tension in the room.

Blaine gave Ryder a concerned look. “Is everything okay?”

Ryder ignored Blaine and looked at Unique. She’d taken in the situation and seemed more than a little alarmed. He sat up straight, locked eyes with her, and said, “Everything is completely fine.”

Unique visibly relaxed when he spoke. She left Blaine and Tina standing in the doorway, still looking confused, and crossed to take the open seat on Ryder’s right. Once she was settled in her seat, she looked at Ryder, obviously waiting for him to make the next move.

Ryder looked around him at Marley, Artie, and Jake who were all smiling and then up at the door where Kitty, Sam, and Mr. Schue had just appeared. Then he looked back at Unique and reached out to take her hand where it rested in her lap.

Unique squeezed his hand when their fingers laced together and shot him an absolutely gorgeous smile. Ryder grinned back at her, knowing that her smile meant that this time he’d gotten it right.

Naturally it was Kitty who broke the silence in the room. “Well it’s about damn time,” she said, pushing past Blaine and Tina to drop into Artie’s lap and kiss him.

“So what gave us away,” Unique asked quietly.

Ryder grinned. “Apparently wearing a turtleneck in June is weird.”

“Maybe a tasteful scarf next time?”

“Yeah, I don’t think I can borrow that from my dad.”


End file.
